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Fairway WoodsAvoid Fat and Thin ShotsAddress Posture / Stance at Address Wood Intermediate ⏱ 1 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Hit the ball with a fairway wood with precision

As a coach for PGA Tour players, Sean Foley often sees his amateur Pro-Am partners top their 3-wood while trying to “sweep” the ball. The intention is good, but the method isn’t: he suggests sweeping with your body position, not with your hands.

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Sean Foley
Sean Foley · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

5 minSame problemFairway Woods: Keep the Club Low in the TakeawayDavid Bobrowski · Intermediate6 minSame problemHow to Hit Your 3 Wood Off the Fairway, Not Like Off a TeeRick Shiels · Intermediate4 minFrom the same proAiming Too Far to the Right: The Setup Command That Corrects ItSean Foley · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

In Pro-Am tournaments, Sean Foley sees balls rolling just above the ground and fairway woods being hit. The amateurs tell him they want to to clear the ball. They get the idea—to slow down the attack so they can bring up a 3-wood—but they do it by significantly changing the angle of the hands. This change is so sudden that it becomes difficult to make a good connection.

His solution: sweep with precision. Ball positioned forward in the stance, wide stance, with the torso tilted away from the target. Upon impact, the shoulders follow these angles; the handle tilts forward, which allows for firm contact—or even slightly downward pressure—while the position of the pivot and the body performs the scan.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Place the ball toward the front of your stance.
  2. Widen your stance.
  3. Tilt the column away from the target.
  4. Let those angles guide your shoulders through to impact.
  5. Keep your hands relaxed: the clubhead tilts forward at impact.

Key Takeaways

Sweeping with your hands causes the fairway wood to top the ball.
The change in the angle of the hands is too abrupt for smooth contact.
The scan is being prepared at the address.
Ball positioned far forward, wide stance, spine tilted away from the target.
Upon impact, the shaft tilts forward for solid contact.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Sweep the ball with your hands and wrists.
  • Suddenly change the angle of your hands before impact.
  • To try to flatten the attack without changing the address.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Check your address before each swing: ball positioned forward, wide stance, body tilted
  2. Passive-Hand Trial Swings
  3. Check to see if the ball bounces instead of rolling

Your Questions

Should you try to sweep the ball with a 3-wood?

"It's understandable that you'd want to flatten the swing," says Sean Foley. "The problem lies in the way you swing: when you use your hands, the angle changes too quickly to make solid contact with the ball.".

How do you sweep with precision?

Ball positioned far forward, wide stance, spine tilted away from the target. These angles align the shoulders at impact, and it is the body that generates the swing.

Should the clubhead be tilted forward at impact?

Yes, according to him. This angle allows for solid contact—or even a slightly downward strike—while the body handles the follow-through.

Learn More

All “Fairway wood” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Avoiding Fat and Thin Shots” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll videos on “Stance / Address Posture” →Find the lesson that's right for you Hitting Your Hybrid: Aim for a tee in front of the ballAgainst the top and hybrid-style chicken wing: keep your chest facing the ground and the clubhead close to the ground until you reach a tee placed in front of the ball. Fairway Woods: Keep the Club Low in the TakeawayWith the 3-wood and 5-wood, let the clubhead skim the ground a little longer in the takeaway to create more distance and a shallower angle of attack. Sean FoleyAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Sean Foley). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

* Amateur competitions with guidance from the pros